No Kai Sotto in Gilas 12, but Cone insists lineup not yet final

February 15 ------ NOTHING is final yet as far as the composition of Gilas Pilipinas in Window 2 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers is concerned, according to head coach Tim Cone. There is already an assumption on social media that a Final 12 has been determined, based on the names and photos that appeared on the Fiba web page of the games pitting Gilas against New Zealand on February 26 and Australia on March 1.

The FIBA web page bared a Gilas lineup composed of Chris Newsome, RJ Abarrientos, Scottie Thompson, June Mar Fajardo, Cjay Perez, Dwight Ramos, Japeth Aguilar, Kevin Quiambao, Justin Brownlee, Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu, and Quentin Millora-Brown. Conspiciously absent from the FIBA web page roster is Kai Sotto, who has just recovered from an ACL injury but is back in action in the Japan B.League.

Gilas coach Cone, however, was quick to issue a clarification, saying that nothing is cast in stone yet as far as the Philippine line-ups for the two games are concerned. "No, not at all," said Cone when asked if the final line-up has been determined. "That is still very much to be determined."

In a previous interview, the Gilas coach said he was looking forward to having Sotto back after the 7-foot-3 slotman sat out for over a year while recovering from an ACL injury suffered in a Japan B.League game. "We're excited about Kai, but still tempering expectations," Cone told SPIN.ph. "We hope he can join us fully." However, SPIN.ph has gathered from sources that Sotto, just three weeks into his comeback with the Koshigaya Alphas in the B.League, is unlikely to join the Gilas camp and is uncertain of playing in the two matches of the February window.

The final roster is usually determined after the manager's meeting held days before the game. The line-up posted in the FIBA webpage is similar to Window 1 late last year which still included Aguilar on the roster. Aguilar retired from national team duties after that said window. Gilas Pilipinas will begin its build-up for Window 2 on February 16.

Source: spin.ph